Emergency Bird Care for Your Feathered Friend

Animal ER Care in Colorado Springs, Colorado, offers emergency bird care performed by certified avian veterinarians. Our professionals can administer treatment for numerous conditions and injuries, such as bite wounds, broken bones, and more, to get your pet on the road to recovery.

Injury Or Illness Signs

Early detection of an injury or illness ensures your bird has a better chance of survival. The bond between you and your avian friend is special and allows you to detect unusual behaviors that might signal a medical condition. If your bird is behaving abnormally but can still move and has an appetite, move your pet into a "hospital cage" that has no perches and low food dishes. Some signs to look for include:

• Spending an Unusual Amount Of Time On the Bottom Of Cage• Puffy Feathers

• Inactive Or Quiet• Weight Loss/Loss Of Appetite

Keep Your Bird Warm

A sick bird requires adequate heating at temperatures between 85 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. To warm up your bird's cage, put a heating pad or hot water bottle underneath it or turn on a 60-watt purple night glow heat lamp during the day and night. Monitor the temperature carefully and put the cage in a quiet place, so your bird gets plenty of rest. If symptoms don't improve, bring your feathery friend to us for care.

Dehydration

Dehydration is a common avian emergency. It can come on quickly when your bird is sick and can rapidly become a critical emergency. Ensure your bird always has fresh, clean water. Another option to hydrate your bird is to use plain, unflavored Pedialyte mixed with water. Add one drop of liquid B12 for added energy.

Physical Injury/Bleeding

Seek immediate emergency care if your bird is bleeding or has suffered physical injuries or broken bones. To temporarily stop the bleeding, apply septic (Kwik-Stop) powder or corn starch to the injury.

Emergency Care

If your pet is in severe distress or their condition hasn't improved in 24 hours, make them comfortable and fly down to our animal hospital right away. Don't debate over whether your bird needs emergency care. Instead, be proactive and obtain the necessary care all winged pets deserve.

Sterile Environment

Birds are incredibly susceptible to airborne illnesses and require a sanitary environment to get well. We take special care to provide the most sterile environment possible. At home, you need to ensure the cage is immaculate, food and water are regularly changed, and there is no other bird in the cage. A hospital cage is the ideal environment for nursing your bird back to health because you can control the temperature. If you don't have that type of cage, at least have a spare clean enclosure that is unoccupied on hand in case of an emergency.